


the art of assassinating a heart

by ikonisch (discordinparadise)



Category: iKON (Korea Band)
Genre: Alcoholism, M/M, bartender and dancer donghyuk, bobdong best friends, but it's mild i swear, but knives are mentioned, dating yunbob! just kinda mentioned, donghyuk's pov, happy birthday donghyuk!, implied assassination, junhoe gets hella drunk, junhoe's an aggressive cutie who just gets cuter, lots of fluff really, so is bleeding, though i still do warn you...?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 15:09:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17286383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/discordinparadise/pseuds/ikonisch
Summary: "All my life, I've been seeing all different types of people from all over. I've fell for a few, hurt a few, been hurt by a few. My mind's choices have been expanded, I guess, and I'll get attracted to just whatever I get attracted to and I'm cool with that.""Well, don't you sound wise?" Donghyuk asked, grinning as his respect for the man-child increased tenfold and Junhoe smiled back, his eyes doing that glittery thing that always made Donghyuk feel on edge."Donghyuk.""Yeah?""You look really nice when you smile."Donghyuk blinked, the smile in question immediately faltering as Junhoe looked incredibly smug and okay, Donghyuk was a smooth-talker, there was never any doubt about that, he could totally reply with something better! Beautiful people flattering him did not get to his head, not at all. "And- and you have...eyebrows."Yes. Maybe Donghyuk had messed up.





	the art of assassinating a heart

**Author's Note:**

> just a heads up - this probably isn't set in korea lmao it doesn't really matter but- yeah

So, Donghyuk didn't want to be here, mindlessly cleaning glasses in an empty bar at midnight where the most fun he got was from listening to a rickety old radio.

But he was still there.

Basically the story of his life as the nicest person ever that other people didn't deserve.

He was meant to be out clubbing with his friends, doing whatever the hell they and he found fun because Donghyuk had just got accepted into one of the _biggest_ entertainment companies but no, instead he had to be called up by his co-worker just when he was getting ready with the sickly candied words of, "Donghyuk-ah, you know how I'm your hyung?"

He couldn't imagine the look on Seunghoon's face when he had to tell him that he was going to cover a shift, but it was very easy to imagine Jiwon's when he took the phone off of the other and yelled angry spitfire into Donghyuk's ear which was mostly just stammering but still scarily intimidating nonsense about "GET YOUR ASS OVER _HERE_ , YOU ANNOYING FUCKWAD OF A DOORMAT" and Donghyuk just hung up, grimacing to himself. He'd have a fight with the guy any day which would just end with Jiwon yelling a frustrated "I HATE YOU" that Donghyuk knew really meant 'I love you' and body-slamming onto him, but that could wait a day. Now he had stupid...stupid...work.

Well, when had he ever properly complained about something? He wasn't about to start. But the amount of _times_ he had covered for this dude already...

"One day I'll quit this job and be on national television and have my name up in lights and that'll wipe that stupid fake-grateful smug smile off his face," Donghyuk grumbled under his breath, squeezing the glass in his hand so tight that it started to hurt and he blinked at himself, snapping out of his small moment of wishing for revenge. "Dang. What happened to me?"

Customers came and went, none of them staying for a long time and that was normal on a weeknight, and it was never really that hard to keep an angelic smile going and his quick hands working even if a customer was particularly rude or flippant - he had been trained in it after all, and there was probably no-one better for a desk job than him. Jiwon had told him that once when he saw a customer throw a drink in Donghyuk's face before leaving and Donghyuk had only smiled and waved, calling out, "Hope you come again!"

But Donghyuk's usually fast-working brain stuttered for a minute when a tall person clad in a trench coat stumbled in, hanging his head as he eventually reached the counter, grappling onto it to help him sit down on one of the stools and Donghyuk frowned - to be honest, he had never had to deal with someone coming to the bar while _already_ seeming drunk. But then the guy was shaking his head and looking up and before Donghyuk could focus on his face, he let out a raspy, "I messed up."

And then Donghyuk could see it. This man wasn't drunk. Maybe not even tipsy. His expression shone distress and weariness, marring what Donghyuk might consider one of the most beautiful faces he had ever seen but he could only feel concern as his hands automatically started preparing a beer.

"Why did you mess up?"

The guy let out such a loud sigh that Donghyuk recoiled a little. "I got the wrong person. I'm such an _idiot_ , I'm such- I just-"

He started banging his head on the counter and Donghyuk's eyes widened but the guy stopped soon enough, squishing his face against the counter as he mumbled forlornly, "I killed the wrong person."

Donghyuk almost dropped the beer, and he was hoping to all deities that this guy was just an avid gamer. "O-Okay, so-"

"I didn't actually _kill_ them, but, I probably hurt them a little," the guy elaborated just as worryingly, instantly ripping the beer out of Donghyuk's hands and downing it in one, actually impressing Donghyuk a little, and then he was groaning as he set the glass back down. "My first mess up. My first fucking me- maybe I should just kill _myself_ this time. I could do it."

"No, what? Don't think that, just drink," Donghyuk said gently, easing another glass over even though he was honestly thinking that this dude was one of those gamers who just ate, thought, slept in game. He meant killing his own game persona instead of an innocent bystander, not actually killing his real live self...for sure. "You'll be paying for this, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," the guy said dismissively, already looking a bit red as he swigged the next glass but a little bit slower than the last one, and Donghyuk gulped when he watched the way the guy's eyes fluttered shut, his hand gripping the counter tight and his jaw that could- nope, no, Donghyuk wasn't doing this, he couldn't let his gayness jump out to someone who was probably completely, utterly straight, no matter how gorgeous they were because Donghyuk was _stronger_ than that. Until the guy slowly lowered the glass and giggled, hiccuping halfway and Donghyuk's legs almost gave out. So maybe he was weak. Maybe.

"H-How did I get tip-tipsy so quickly?" the guy laughed, smiling all big and dumb as he hugged his glass close to him and Donghyuk smiled too as he reached out for the other glass to refill when the guy nodded at him very pointedly. "Yes, more, more! I want to feel like...king of _world_. Not...a jester..."

So Donghyuk followed through, pushing the next drink forwards and the guy grinned toothily, immediately dropping the glass he was hugging and Donghyuk almost yelped as he quickly reached out to catch it, sighing in relief when he managed it and brought it back to safety behind the counter. This time the guy cradled the drink for a while, narrowing his eyes at it as he seemed to be mumbling something under his breath, and Donghyuk leant over to put an elbow on the counter, resting the side of his face in his palm as he watched a nonsensical beauty talking to a pitcher.

"Junhoe wants you to stop spinning...Junhoe says stop... _stop,_ " the guy grumbled, getting increasingly agitated and Donghyuk raised an eyebrow. Junhoe? It suited him. "If you don't stop then I will _drink_ you, you will _die_ , how do you _like_...wha' was I saying..."

Junhoe looked up at Donghyuk with wide, sweet eyes like he was really thinking that this lowly bartender knew all the answers in the universe and Donghyuk's heart honestly broke when he could only shrug and Junhoe whimpered sadly, pouting before he was shoving the drink down his throat like wildfire and Donghyuk did a double-take. Christ, drunk people were honestly superhuman, Donghyuk would never get used to them no matter how many days he'd have to end up looking after them.

Time passed far quicker than Donghyuk wanted it to, with Junhoe smashing the rickety radio onto the floor with a loud war-cry before Donghyuk could stop him and Donghyuk stared at the poor thing for five minutes. That was definitely coming out of his pay-check. But he couldn't yell at Junhoe even if he wanted to (which he actually didn't, built-in manners) because when he looked back, Junhoe was suddenly lying on the floor and nursing his sixth drink on his neck like it was an actual baby, and Donghyuk winced when he saw the beer falling out of the glass and onto the floor, over Junhoe's coat but the drunk one definitely didn't seem to mind. "Hey...barte, ten...bartholemew, no- barten- beerteen- uh..."

"Bartender?"

"Yeah!" Then Junhoe wasn't even following it up with a question like Donghyuk expected, and the latter shook his head amusedly as he reached down to take out a towel so he could clean up at least some of the mess Junhoe had made, but then he heard the counter taking a loud slam and he instantly brought his head up only to almost fall back when he saw Junhoe on his back on top of the counter, struggling to move like those insects whenever they were on their backs, with their spindly legs scraggling at the air and Donghyuk was honestly ready to grab a rolling pin and bash Junhoe at this point, but then Junhoe was dropping to side and onto the floor...pretty neatly, and Donghyuk was torn between 'what on earth' and 'why does he keep making me fall in love with him' and 'GET HIM THE FUCK AWAY FROM THIS SIDE OF THE COUNTER'-

"Bartenderrrrr," Junhoe slurred in what was probably supposed to be a sweet tone, wrapping his long arms around Donghyuk's shins. "I...I- I I I I _sad._ "

Donghyuk looked down at him, at this huge man-child with glazed over eyes and the biggest pout and glowing skin, and Donghyuk didn't really think when he reached out a hand to pet Junhoe's head which the latter actually seemed to like a little. "Why are you sad?"

"I-I suck," Junhoe replied, his eyes filling up with crystalline tears as he smushed his face into Donghyuk's legs, sniffing loudly and Donghyuk was at a loss, his heart on a string as he was about to crouch down to pull the massive upset cat into a hug, but then the door to the bar was swinging open and Donghyuk was freezing up.

"Junhoe...Junhoe, darling, stay quiet, okay..."

"Okie," Junhoe mumbled, shuffling closer to Donghyuk who winced when he felt his jeans being wetted by one too many tears, but he quickly put on a smile when the customer came over to the bar, not sitting down and Donghyuk could only hope that he didn't notice any of the mess.

"Hey, what can I get you-"

"You've got an off-licence, right?" the guy asked quickly, seeming like he was in a hurry which actually relieved Donghyuk a bit since Junhoe seemed to have gone stone-still so he had to make sure the guy was still breathing and _soon_.

"Yeah, pretty sure-"

"Could I get two bottles of whisky to go?"

"Of course," Donghyuk nodded, looking down at Junhoe who simply looked back up at him (okay so he _was_ still alive, thank God) and Donghyuk sighed as he reached over for the gin instead of walking over which would have been so much easier, and with hassle that he tried his best not to show, he clasped the bottles and got them back to the man who hastily paid before taking the items and going. Donghyuk would have waved and called out a pleasantry if he wasn't feeling so choked up by the arms that were sliding up him gently before wrapping tight around his shoulders, and a beautiful, very drunk, completely nonsensical guy was clinging onto him from behind, pressed up against his back and Donghyuk couldn't breathe for a moment.

"I'm _coooold,_ " Junhoe whined, his arms going lower as hugged Donghyuk tighter and the guy had indeed ditched his trench coat at some point which was pooling at their feet. "I wanna- wanna wanna wanna-"

Donghyuk drew the line when Junhoe's mindless hands slipped under his shirt (though for some reason, it actually did seem innocent) and he pushed them away, quickly turning around only for Junhoe to wrap his arms around Donghyuk's shoulders again and press up close, leaning all over him to the point that Donghyuk didn't think he was strong enough to hold the guy up.

"I think we should get you home, don't you?" Donghyuk asked softly, bending down to pick up the coat and throw it around Junhoe before slinging an arm around Junhoe's waist to hold him up better and the latter looked up at him with sparkling glassy eyes, tears still streaking his face lightly and Donghyuk was so taken that he let himself brush them away gently, smiling when Junhoe angled into his touch, whining bitterly about things that Donghyuk couldn't understand anymore. "Yeah. Where's your place?"

"No," Junhoe shushed, holding up a finger before very carefully trying to press it to Donghyuk's lips, but he missed and fell right into Donghyuk's chest with a yowl, making the latter let out a small puff of breath as he stumbled back a little, but he stayed strong.

"Come on, where's your house?"

"Don't _ha'_ one," Junhoe said, poking Donghyuk's cheek before burying his head into the other's neck and Donghyuk blinked, utterly confused.

"What?"

"I don't...I don't...house," Junhoe mumbled and Donghyuk rolled his eyes as he pulled away, gently pushing Junhoe in a way that ended up with the guy securely leaning on the counter.

"Fine, if you won't tell me then I'm gonna clean up then I'm taking you home with me," Donghyuk said firmly, and Junhoe didn't look like he was about to complain so he took a few towels and swept one down the counter and another at the side where Junhoe had managed to spill another drink that Donghyuk hadn't seen. Junhoe giggled deliriously at one point, tugging on Donghyuk's shirt and okay, that might be cute but Donghyuk was in his work headspace so he moved Junhoe's grabby fingers away and rested a hand on the counter, using it as leverage so he could jump over it and throw towels onto the floor, using his foot to move them around and that gave him time to think.

Was he really going to take a stranger home with him? Someone who could possibly murder him in his sleep, trash his house, mess with something really important. He tried to rack his brains to think about some important things that were in his house. His...landline? His clothes? Just his furniture? His stuffed toys, probably. Donghyuk might cry in secret if any of those got beheaded or skewered but when he looked back and saw drunk Junhoe fascinated by his own hair and trying to get at it before yelping in confused pain whenever he pulled on it and it hurt, he realised he could only imagine that mammoth man-child cuddling with his toys. Maybe slobbering over them, which wasn't the best thing, but Donghyuk could deal with that.

"Alright, come on," Donghyuk said once he finished, leading Junhoe out from behind the bar and the guy instantly collapsed onto Donghyuk, winding his arms around his waist and pressing into his side, pouting petulantly right next to his face and Donghyuk could see it in the corner of his eye. He didn't know whether to get the shivers or if he wanted to coo. "What's wrong?"

"Cooooooooooooold..."

Then Donghyuk was looking back at the counter and groaning because sure enough, there was Junhoe's trench coat discarded all over again.

Getting Junhoe into the car was a hassle. All of a sudden Junhoe wanted to pay for everything, and Donghyuk kept on hushing him and telling him that he could do it later but Junhoe simply growled and shook his head, taking out a massive wad of money from his coat pocket and trying to shove it into Donghyuk's face. Donghyuk blanched, saying something along the lines of 'no it's not _that_ much' but Junhoe wasn't relenting, so Donghyuk pushed him down into the passenger seat and took the money, if only to appease him and the drunk prince grinned up at him beautifully, and he looked kind of sober for a second. In, an overly happy way. Maybe Donghyuk was just blinded by beauty. "Thankie."

"Yeah, okay," Donghyuk mumbled, coughing as he pushed Junhoe's leg inside the car and closed the door before hurrying over to lock up the bar before going to his own driver's seat. He was about to put on his seatbelt before he saw Junhoe punching the air, calling out an ear-piercingly loud, "STRIKE THREEEEEEE' and Donghyuk sighed to himself as he reached over to pull a belt over Junhoe and he let the guy cling onto him because he had deduced that drunk Junhoe really liked being touchy.

The car ride was better. Junhoe just sat there with his shoulders back and eyes completely wide and unblinking, and it was a bit worrying but Donghyuk was trying to keep his eyes on the road. But then Junhoe spoke, hiccupping halfway through but it didn't make the message any less harrowing. "I-I think...I think I'm gon' die soon."

Donghyuk frowned, a bit shaken up by Junhoe's heartbreakingly sad tone, and he wondered if this was another gamer thing or if the guy had somehow got death into his head in his drunk state of mind. "I don't think you are."

Junhoe sniffled as he curled up into himself, and Donghyuk looked over at him for a second and wondered how a six-foot giant could look so small. "You don't know anything."

"Maybe I don't, but, I can try and keep you positive."

"Positive is for losers."

"Then I guess I've been a loser all my life," Donghyuk replied as he pulled into his apartment's car park, full of empty spaces which was strange for a weeknight, and he quickly took a nice one which he usually never got to do. Then the instant he stopped the car, Junhoe was trying to fall onto him before crying out in pain when the seatbelt chafed his skin. Donghyuk smiled faintly, murmuring a soft 'nono, it's okay' as he undid the seatbelt and caught Junhoe when he flopped forwards before bringing his head up, his glittering eyes littered with sadness and apology as his pretty lips trembled, and he looked ready to cry again.

"You're no' a loser. I'm sorry," Junhoe said very slowly, like he wanted to make sure that this was the one thing he'd enunciate properly, and Donghyuk's entire being softened as he patted Junhoe's head.

"It's okay, I'm not offended."

"But I didn't...mean," Junhoe sniffed, clamping his arms around Donghyuk who jolted, thinking 'here we go again' but Junhoe was still looking at him, and his eyes hadn't gone out of focus yet which made Donghyuk feel quite flattered. "Please forgive."

"I forgive."

" _Please._ "

"I already have."

"Okay!" Junhoe wailed, burying his head into Donghyuk's chest and the latter sighed in fond exasperation as he stroked the back of Junhoe's head and tried to think of how on earth he'd get the guy to his apartment from here. Then he got an idea and he looked at Junhoe who slowly pulled away and looked back at him, blinking.

"I AM KIIIIIIIIIING!" Junhoe yelled as Donghyuk was running across the car park with Junhoe in his arms, struggling immensely but he was trying to make the trip as short as possible. It was helpful that Junhoe was clinging to him in every way possible and Donghyuk simply shoved the broken door open instead of using the key which was what he was always scolding other people for doing, but this was a one-off. Junhoe giggled brightly in his ear as Donghyuk ran up the stairs once he realised that the elevator was occupied and he was _not_ about to wait or let any of his neighbours see this, and he actually nearly fell to his knees when he reached his door and Junhoe rolled out of his arms, tumbling over the floor before ending on a shaky but quite clean position, calling out a happy, "That hurt!"

"Into my apartment, let's go," Donghyuk said, quickly pulling Junhoe up before the guy would end up rolling the rest of the way, and Junhoe leant against him heavily and Donghyuk's legs almost gave out before he could even reach the light switch. But he got there, quickly slamming his hand onto it and Junhoe let out a mesmerised 'oooooh' as he shifted a bit of his weight onto his own feet and Donghyuk sighed in relief, curling an arm around the drunk prince before dragging him over to his bedroom, lugging the dead weight inside before tumbling onto the bed with far more force than he wanted because Junhoe had accidentally slipped on a loose shirt on the floor.

"Shit," Donghyuk mumbled as he winced, rubbing his head, before blinking when he realised that he had ended up on top of Junhoe who looked all kinds of content, closed eyes and big smiles and long limbs windmilling as he was probably happy about the comfort of a mattress. It made Donghyuk happy for a moment too as he brushed his fingers through Junhoe's messy hair to make it a bit better and despite the knots, it was soft and Junhoe opened his eyes slightly to meet Donghyuk's and God, he looked so goddamn seductive laid out like that and Donghyuk almost fell onto the floor.

"Hi," Junhoe said, and the mesmerising sultriness fell away as he waved in Donghyuk's face and the latter snorted, saying a hi back as he rolled off of Junhoe to fall into the space beside him, and Junhoe made a big show of shuffling over to face him, their noses just about touching and Donghyuk realised in amazement that Junhoe's eyelashes were longer than they seemed. Nicer. It was the kind of small, irrelevant thing that made someone even more beautiful.

"Let's sleep," Donghyuk said quickly so he could stop himself from falling in love with a drunk someone that he'd never see again after this, because he didn't need to do that to himself. Junhoe didn't reply, only staring back at Donghyuk before whispering, "Who are you?"

"Donghyuk."

"Donghyuk. Donghyuk...Donghyuk, Donghyuk, Donghyuk," Junhoe muttered, slurring it or pronouncing it syllable by syllable and Donghyuk didn't know if he found it cute or strange. "Positive Donghyuk. No loser Donghyuk. Bar...beer-teender Donghyuk. Nice, nice Donghyuk."

"I know you're drunk but gosh, you're cute," Donghyuk murmured, threading a hand through Junhoe's hair again gently, letting it flatten against the back of his head and Junhoe grinned in his big, stupid, pretty, toothy way.

"Cute?"

"Very."

"Thank," Junhoe replied, dragging his head forward against the pillow before kissing Donghyuk in something that couldn't be a kiss, just a mushy smush of lips that had Donghyuk's heart fluttering and his ears turning bright red but he couldn't dwell on it when Junhoe was already rolling over and tugging his jeans off to Donghyuk's alarm.

"W-Wait, stop, Junhoe _no-_ "

"It's not comfortableeee," Junhoe whined but Donghyuk reached over and kept a tight hold on the jeans, giving Junhoe a look that had the guy cowering before he pulled him into a tight hold.

"Comfortable or not, we sleep, no clothes-shedding. That'll make things more confusing in the morning."

"Okie," Junhoe mumbled sadly, but he seemed content in seconds with just capturing Donghyuk into a bear hug, tight and warm and Donghyuk could smell beer but this guy's perfume was definitely stronger. Vanilla? Donghyuk snuggled into Junhoe, smiling gently as he breathed him in and a wave of fatigue crashed into him for the first time that night. This was crazy, wasn't it? This was going to become some sort of campfire story that he'd tell his friends over the years ('Did you hear about the time that I actually did something with a hot guy? But oh, not what you'd think!'), and Junhoe would become some kind of faraway star who'd just always be niggling in his memory.

This was stupid. So unrealistic. Maybe Donghyuk was dreaming, though he'd never had such a fervid dream before.

Donghyuk caressed Junhoe's cheek lightly with the back of his hand and his skin felt smooth. Very smooth. The guy sucked in breaths and let them out like there was something blocking his air flow but he still looked pretty, his eyelashes fluttering every now and then and his legs draped themselves over Donghyuk's, like he wanted to be as close as he possibly could be. Donghyuk didn't mind. If he had to admit it to himself, he _was_ love-deprived after all.

"Night, drunk prince."

 

 

 

 

 

He woke up to an empty bed other than himself and his phone pinging louder and more than it ever had. Donghyuk groaned with a closed mouth, scratching his head as he sat up and scrabbled about for his phone, finally getting it and looking at the screen with squinting eyes. It was Jiwon.

_\- DUUUUUUUDE_

_\- still annoyed at u >:(_

_\- mmmm? wheres early riser dirty kid gone_

_\- donGHYUK_

_\- R U DEADDDDDD_

_\- thats not vry R E S P O N S I B L E_

_\- dong_

_\- u ok_

_\- shit_

Donghyuk rolled his eyes, quickly texting back something which would prove that he was alive before he put his phone down, sighing as he stretched out his arms, wincing when something clicked. He looked to the side and there was still a slight dip in the bed, and when Donghyuk pressed a hand to the dip, it was warm. So it must have not been long since his late night discovery had made an escapade, and Donghyuk tried not to feel offended. Why _should_ he be offended? He already knew this was going to happen. It was basically the innocent version of a one-night stand, was it not, so he needed to put this all beside him and drag his weary body to the bathroom so he could stop looking like a corpse (he assumed).

"There's no jam left?" Donghyuk asked the air when he was in the kitchen and he found his jam jar empty. Well, that was sad. He could probably scrape bits out, that might make for something interesting if he used something else too and he didn't notice the tall silhouette creeping up to him. "I'll buy some later."

He was about to turn around to get his bread but apparently, someone was kind enough to spin him around themself, but it wasn't so kind when they pushed him up against the kitchen counter and Donghyuk squeaked when there was suddenly a knife at his neck and his seething, narrowed-eyed mammoth man-child holding it. But Junhoe didn't seem to hold any 'child' in him anymore and Donghyuk couldn't possibly call a man who was about to kill him with a _knife_ 'his'.

"J-Junhoe, oh my Go-"

"Why the fuck am I here? How do you know my name? Who are you?" Junhoe asked in such a utilitarian manner, pressing his knife up closer and Donghyuk held up his hands in surrender.

"Can you please get that knife away from me?! You were sad last night so you got drunk and you said your name at one point and I was the bartender and I brought you here because you wouldn't tell me your address, is that good enough?"

Junhoe frowned, slowly pulling the knife back and Donghyuk could finally breathe. "...fine."

Donghyuk shook his head, muttering a desolate, "You were so much cuter when you were drunk."

Junhoe glared, bringing the knife back up and Donghyuk quickly waved his hands in front of him before his brain did some quick thinking, and he wanted to mess with the guy with a knife. He rested his hand on Junhoe's chest, playing with the material of his shirt before saying coyly, lowly, "If only you remembered what we did last night..."

Junhoe seized up, and Donghyuk almost couldn't hold back his smile as he smoothed his hand ever so lightly up and down Junhoe's chest, twirling the shirt material around his fingers and Junhoe looked down at his hands in wonder, breathing out a shaky, "W-What...what did we do?"

"We," Donghyuk murmured, slinging an arm around Junhoe's neck smoothly as he inched closer, leaning up so his lips could be a hair breadth's away from Junhoe's parted ones, and the guy's eyes fluttered for a moment when Donghyuk's hand smoothed over the nape of his neck. And Donghyuk leant closer, whispering, "We didn't do much. Just, a ki-"

Then Junhoe was forcefully breaking away just before Donghyuk could connect their lips (though, was he really going to anyway?), resting his knife on his shoulder before stalking off and Donghyuk snickered to himself, calling out, "Hey, you're not going to put my knife back?"

"This isn't _your_ knife, amateur, did you even look at it? It's far better than anything you'll ever have," Junhoe snarled from wherever the hell he was and Donghyuk blinked.

"Wait, what?"

"It's my knife. Of the best...metal."

"What metal?"

"Shut up!" Junhoe called out aggressively, clearly meaning that he didn't know and Donghyuk grinned as he walked out of the kitchen, peeking through rooms to see if he could try and find Junhoe.

"Why do you have a knife anyway? I didn't notice that last night. That's really dangerous, dude, I should report you to the police."

"They wouldn't do anything."

"Mm. Why?" Donghyuk asked, blasting into the living area which made the Junhoe inside jump and grab the TV remote like he was about to hurl it at Donghyuk who raised an eyebrow. "There you are. Why won't they?"

"Because, okay? I can't tell you. Just because."

"I want to know."

"I'm not telling you."

"Last night you kind of said you didn't have a house. What does that mean?" Donghyuk asked and Junhoe froze up, making Donghyuk grin. "You're slipping up a lot, Mr I-Can't-Tell-You."

"Shit..."

"You said you killed the wrong person?"

Junhoe blanched. "Stop-"

"You said you thought you were gonna die soon-"

Then Donghyuk was screaming as the remote was flying at him at incredible speed and _perfect_ aim, and he quickly ducked making him bruise his knees but he couldn't care less when the remote smashed into the wall behind him, surely broken and having made a dent. Donghyuk breathed out heavily, cautiously looking up to see Junhoe glaring at him though there seemed to be some sort of remorse swimming in his eyes. Those glittering eyes that Donghyuk had loved last night. But it seemed like the sober version belonged to a psycho.

"Nice reflexes, asshole. Be lucky that I didn't throw the knife, you would've been too late then."

Then Junhoe was running a hand through his hair and slipping his knife somewhere that Donghyuk didn't see, muttering something about 'I've got fucking places to be, why am I wasting my time on civilians' and Donghyuk slowly got back onto his feet, grimacing when he turned and saw the remnants of his poor remote on the ground, fizzling slightly, and then he said a loud, "Fuck you."

Junhoe stared at his back. "You what?"

"I said fuck _you,_ " Donghyuk seethed, turning around and clenching his hands into fists as he tore forward, and Junhoe took a step back in surprise. "I looked after you for a whole night. I made sure that you weren't upset, or left for dead, or taken advantage of, do you know how fucking pretty you are?! Last night was such a hassle, you made my night two hundred percent more difficult and I could've been out clubbing with my mates instead- why are you trying to kill me now? Why are you being a psychotic jerk? I was nothing but nice to you last night. So give me a fucking thank you then get the hell out of my apartment."

Donghyuk ended with a sharp jab at Junhoe's chest since he had got that close by now and the latter actually stumbled back a little, not having his guard up since he was too surprised to do so. Then Junhoe was swallowing, hanging his head a little as he licked his lips then said, like it was the hardest thing in the world, "I remember some things. I'm...um...you know. Sorry. Thank you."

Donghyuk nodded in slight satisfaction, crossing his arms. "Good. That's all I want, now go."

"Wait," Junhoe said, and he looked so different now. Less arrogant, more normal, more deflated. More like the drunk Junhoe that Donghyuk liked, but, well, sober. "Last night. Did we actually kiss?"

"It wasn't really a kiss. It was like the way that toddlers kiss when they don't even really know what a kiss is," Donghyuk said, grinning a little and Junhoe slowly nodded, looking down before saying a little sheepishly, "What's your name? I can't remember."

"Kim Donghyuk. What's your full one?"

"I can't tell you," Junhoe said, sounding honestly regretful. "And I really need to go, I'm gonna get killed by my boss- look, I'm sorry, for everything. Forget about me, just rid me of your mind, I'll never trouble you again."

"Answer me this then we can settle that. Do you really not have a place to live?"

"It's...more complicated than that."

"So basically, no. Meaning you _are_ going to trouble me again, I'm telling you to come back here after you're done at work," Donghyuk said and Junhoe's eyes blew wide.

"Wait b-but why-"

"That's an order."

"Dude-"

"I want you to have a place to live. You're psychotic and you carry knives but I'm giving you a test run," Donghyuk said, straightening out Junhoe's shirt which looked like it really needed a good iron. Hopefully he could do that when the guy returned that night. Something must have showed on his face because Junhoe quickly jerked away, saying, "Are you already imagining domesticating me?!"

"Domesticating you...? What the fuck does that even mean?"

"I don't know."

"Do you have a phone?"

"Yes."

"Can I have your number?"

"No."

Donghyuk frowned, but before he could object, Junhoe was moving past him and heading towards the door, and Donghyuk wasn't sure if he should stop him or not and he decided not to when Junhoe turned around to call out a, "See you later, Donghyuk," before pulling the door open and leaving, slamming it closed not a second later and Donghyuk was too late to say his own farewell back. So he just stood there for a second. Thinking.

So here were the things that Donghyuk pretty much knew.

He had met Adonis in human form.

Junhoe probably wasn't going to come back.

Junhoe was by the looks of it, a hitman? Donghyuk had given up thoughts of a pro-gamer a knife and a remote ago.

If Junhoe _did_ come back, Donghyuk would be harbouring a gorgeous psycho with impeccable killing aim in his apartment.

And, something that Donghyuk wished he could forget, Junhoe had some of the nicest lips he'd ever seen.

This wasn't going to be an easy day for his brain.

 

 

 

 

 

Jiwon had, indeed, body-slammed him when they saw each other. Jinwoo was far nicer, asking how his night had gone and Donghyuk shrugged, saying, "Quite crazy," in a way that must have seemed sarcastic since the others just laughed at him. Well, that was fine, it wasn't like they would believe him if he recounted the events anyway.

As predicted, Donghyuk found it difficult to stop thinking about Junhoe at first. Sometimes he'd just forget about him, but other times the memories would come back full-throttle and Donghyuk would groan, banging his head on the wall before going back to perfecting choreography. He couldn't think straight, he hadn't been able to since he was thirteen and came out by slamming a drawing of a rainbow onto his dad's desk, and thoughts of beautiful men with killer smiles weren't _helping_.

"Hey fucker, what's up with you?" Jiwon said as he bounded into the practice room and saw Donghyuk lying on the floor, back slumped against the mirror wall as he shuffled through the first take of a choreo on his phone. Donghyuk looked up just as Jiwon sank down next to him, and he furrowed his eyebrows.

"What the hell are you doing here? Get back to your studio."

"I'm on break, calm down. Why do you look so dead?"

"Can't think straight. I'm just looking through stuff so I can correct, I'm not bothered to start anything new."

"Yunhyeong told me to give you a hand if you needed anything, he said you were a feeling a bit...eh."

"Eh?"

"Eh."

"Well tell your boyfriend to stop, I'm more or less fine," Donghyuk sighed as he dragged his finger along the phone, just racing through the video now. "Why does he even think _you_ could help?"

"Fo bestie moral support!" Jiwon said sugar-sweetly, beaming as he wrapped Donghyuk up into a vice-grip more than a hug and the younger scoffed, slapping at Jiwon's arms. "Besides, I can dance. And _well_. Just watch me."

"You and your lazy ass? No way."

"You're ungrateful," Jiwon grumbled, shoving Donghyuk to the side and the latter choked in laughter. A bit more bickering later and Jiwon rested his head on Donghyuk's shoulder, wrapping his arms around his knees as he looked at the phone which made Donghyuk remember that he was supposed to be looking at it too. "How many times have you watched this now?"

"Maybe three..."

"What do you even need to correct?"

"I don't know yet."

"So basically nothing. Come on, you usually don't have a life outside this and bartending, what's in your head?"

"Nothing," Donghyuk said, and he thought he sounded pretty convincing. Until Jiwon was pulling the phone out of his hands and sweeping it across the floor so it ended up on the other side of the room and Donghyuk watched it go with a betrayed, open mouth. " _Dude._ "

" _Donghyuk._ What's up? Tell good old hyung, come on."

"Old, sure. Good?"

"I'll throw you to the other side of the room to be with your phone."

"Okay, fine, Jesus-" Donghyuk turned to the side, frowning at Jiwon who raised an eyebrow at him, and Donghyuk tried to find the simplest way that he could possibly say this. "It's...just this nice-looking guy. We met yesterday, and, he's plaguing my thoughts."

Jiwon looked just as surprised as Donghyuk thought he would. It was one of those things that they always talked about, where Jiwon would joke ' _I_ got myself a pretty dude, _me_ of all people, so you will too!' but neither of them thought it would come to light, because Donghyuk was that type of person where there was nothing wrong with him, he just never got an opportunity to... _relationship._ Date. Flirt. That sort of thing. So now Jiwon was clamping his hands onto Donghyuk's shoulders, shaking him hard, and Donghyuk didn't blame him.

"Dude, if you don't take this opportunity then I will _never_ forgive you. Come on, do you know if you have a chance?"

"I don't. I don't even know if I'll ever see him again, there's like a five percent chance."

"Oh my God, I hate you! Why do you always miss your chances?"

"What am I even supposed to do? We literally only met yesterday, hyung," Donghyuk said, thinking back. "And he's quite aggressive."

"Aggressive? Interesting," Jiwon contemplated, looking like he had put his thinking hat on and Donghyuk expected his otherworldly advice to come out right about now. Jiwon was good at doing that and simultaneously being dumb every other time he opened his mouth. "Just compliment him. He's nice-looking?"

"He's _really_ pretty..."

"Tell him that, or something about nice his features, just start small, be cliché but not over the top. It'll set a sort of mood. Also conduct a little bit of skinship if you can."

"He might cut my hand off."

"Okay I like this guy, now I have to make _sure_ you two get married. He's probably a sucker for compliments, I can smell it, just tell him 'you have nice eyes' and you'll be making out in no time."

"You're such a sucky person."

"I know," Jiwon said, grinning brightly and Donghyuk rolled his eyes. "Though, real talk. With compliments and just you being nice to him which you already have built in to you, I think he'll warm up to you. Besides, that's not really what you're worried about, is it? He's just on your mind."

"He's...weirdly special," Donghyuk mumbled, looking down and Jiwon reached out to ruffle his hair.

"So are you. So go get him, be special weirdos together."

It was quite early in the afternoon when Donghyuk got home, and he simply got changed, grabbed a sheep plushy and laid out onto the couch, getting disappointed that Junhoe wasn't there for one millisecond before he pushed the thought out of his mind and flipped through useless things on his laptop. He found an e-book to waste his time with, one that wasn't even that good but he was bored and weary- oh darn, this book had a talking dog in it. Maybe it _was_ good.

He didn't realise he had fallen asleep until he heard rattling at his door and he blinked his eyes open, pushing his laptop to the side as he tried to stealthily roll off the couch, holding onto his sheep tightly as he walked over to the door, about to call out a 'who's there?' before the door swung open and there was a triumphant but dragged-through-a-hedge looking Junhoe with some kind of wire in his hands and his trench coat on his arm. Donghyuk blinked at him in amazement. Junhoe blinked back.

"Junhoe? How did you-"

"Picking locks is fun," Junhoe interrupted, walking through the door and kicking it closed behind him. Donghyuk's eyes fell over the guy's appearance, at his messed up clothes that had mud and something red on them, and his shirt was half open as well as slipping off him a little and Donghyuk didn't know how to look away. But he still did, even if it was to look at something prettier.

"What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean, what am I doing here?" Junhoe asked, eyes wide and confused as he looked at a loss for a second. "You...you ordered me."

Okay, that was cute. Donghyuk's heart might have flipped a little. "So you're good at taking orders?"

"Mm...no...it was more like- I don't know. I'm just here, okay? You told me to come here so I'm here. Is that a toy?"

"Don't even try and insult my sheep," Donghyuk grumbled, hugging the plushy tightly and Junhoe shrugged as he walked inside and slung off a tiny bag that was on his shoulders before face-planting right onto the sofa. Donghyuk stood there for a moment, inspecting him then walking over to poke the guy lightly in the side. Junhoe grunted, and Donghyuk took that as a sign of reciprocation. "Where're your belongings?"

Junhoe slowly rolled over and looked up at Donghyuk. "Not here."

"Yeah, well, I see that."

"They're somewhere else."

"Where?"

"I don't really have much, you know, I'm usually on the road," Junhoe muttered, propping himself up a little. "They're just in a building, I take them when I need them."

"A building? So you _do_ have a-"

"No it's not a house or anything like that, can you just leave it?"

Donghyuk sighed because no, he didn't want to leave it, he was curious as hell but maybe he should just let Junhoe have his way. So he crouched down on the floor next to Junhoe, cross-legged and the latter looked down at him as he squished his face against the sofa seat. "What happened to you, then? Are you okay?"

"Is...is it alright if I can take a shower? Not now. But soon?" Junhoe asked, looking at Donghyuk with something he recognised, it was those sad, glittering puppy dog eyes that drunk Junhoe loved making, and it softened Donghyuk more than maybe anything could. He nodded quickly and Junhoe looked relieved.

"Of course you can."

"Okay...you can sit on the sofa too, you know. Unless you're repulsed by me. Then it's cool. But my face is really nice. Does that cancel it out?"

"Are you drunk again?" Donghyuk asked pointedly as he decided to follow heed, taking a seat just as Junhoe pulled himself up into a sitting position, sighing gently as he shook his head.

"I had like, one drink. Same bar, but you weren't there. That's the only real reason I'm here. I didn't realise that I actually kinda sorta maybe wanted to see you, even just one more time."

Donghyuk felt immensely flattered as he patted his cheeks to make sure they weren't turning red. "Why?"

"So I could ask you for real if you thought that my knife looked like a kitchen knife. It doesn't, right? Like tell me you really just weren't focusing on the difference?" Junhoe asked, looking honestly stressed out as he peered at Donghyuk for the answer and Donghyuk blinked. And blinked again.

Wow.

Should he even be surprised? Of course Junhoe wouldn't have come back for _him._ Just about the stupid knife...what kind of fragile masculinity _was_ that?

"It's just that I have a lot of pride over my knives, they're just-"

"Yeah I get that and I can't remember what it looked like anyway, it's null asking," Donghyuk replied quickly, playing with his sheep's ears and he couldn't see what Junhoe looked like, and he didn't really want to. "Do you want tea?"

"Oh...tea? Sure."

So Donghyuk hopped up, leaving his sheep secure in the seat before walking off to his kitchen, which was just at the side. He emptied his kettle, filled it up, turned it on, went to grab the sugar, and usually he had a sense of fun and exuberance while making tea because that was just how he _lived_ but he wasn't feeling it. He thought about what Jiwon had said. Tell Junhoe he's pretty. Well, by the looks of it Junhoe would prefer more to have his fucking _knives_ being called pretty- okay, now Donghyuk was just getting petty.

He was stirring the cups of tea and he felt it this time, he felt Junhoe's dark presence coming up behind him and he stilled for a moment before he kept stirring, stirring and stirring and _passive-aggressively stirring_ until a hand was resting cautiously on his hip and he quickly turned around, holding up his spoon as Junhoe quickly backed up with wide eyes and his hands up in surrender. "Why are you touching me?!"

"I'm- I don't- I'm just remembering, things, and I don't _know_...I'm a bit tipsy okay I just-"

"Oh yeah. You're clingy when you're drunk," Donghyuk revelated, smiling as he remembered drunk Junhoe falling onto him every chance he got and Junhoe amazingly flushed red, grimacing.

"That's _not_ what I'm going to say, just that I'm not thinking straight."

"So you're trying to hit on me then?" Donghyuk asked pointedly and Junhoe furrowed his eyebrows, looking so utterly confused before it dawned on him what Donghyuk was insinuating and he shook his head quickly.

"That's not- not what I meant! I'm just not thinking _well_ , I'm not..." Junhoe sighed, shaking his head as he turned away but Donghyuk pulled him back, buttoning up the guy's shirt as he pulled the material back over to cover his shoulder too.

"You must have been cold."

"Not really," Junhoe mumbled, clearly trying to keep his macho persona but he let Donghyuk fix him up, closing his eyes for a moment. "I'm gonna shower anyway, there's no point, you know."

"Talk to me," Donghyuk said, tightening up Junhoe's loosened belt and Junhoe made a weird noise in the back of his throat as that pulled him closer to Donghyuk. "Tell me something about you."

"I finished your jam this morning..."

Donghyuk immediately let go of Junhoe, not sure if he was surprised or offended because that sure wasn't what he expected. "You _what?"_

"Wait, wait here, don't move!" Junhoe said, holding his arm out before turning around and rushing off, and Donghyuk raised an eyebrow but decided to actually not move, only taking hold of his tea and bringing it up to his lips. Not long later and Junhoe was coming back, stopping right in front of Donghyuk again before holding something up, and Donghyuk nearly dropped his tea. "Here you go is this, is it good enough? I think it's the same brand, from what I remember, but I might be wrong. My memory really isn't that great."

At first, all Donghyuk could do was smile, shaking his head in disbelief as he took the jam and looked at it, Junhoe's hand seeming to linger in the air before he quickly pulled it back. It was actually a different brand but Donghyuk didn't care because this seemed to him like one of the sweetest things in the world. "It's perfect , I- damn. So this roommate thing is already turning out great."

Junhoe's face turned a little pink but it seemed like a proud pink as he smiled happily, the happiest that Donghyuk had seen him sober, and he looked so pretty that Donghyuk just _had_ to do something so he tugged on Junhoe's collar to pull his head down before kissing his cheek.

Junhoe started coming over to Donghyuk's apartment daily, disappearing for hours on end only to reappear at night for a shower and sleep. He was sometimes dishevelled and messy, sometimes completely pristine - hell, he even came home in a _suit_ once and Donghyuk drooled over him for a good few minutes. Donghyuk had realised straight off the bat that Junhoe wasn't particularly the type to reveal much about himself but he made it a thing for them to ask each other a few questions each day, just a harmless few. Things like 'how old are you' (they were the same age, nicely enough) and 'what's your hometown' (simply Seoul) and 'what's your most prized knife' (Junhoe actually almost answered before he paused and ended up attacking Donghyuk with a cushion).

So he had a roommate who he knew near to nothing about and could still very well be a hitman, but he made Donghyuk smile and he didn't _think_ that he had been any happier at work until Jiwon sidled up to him at one point. "What's up, lover boy?"

"AHH!" Donghyuk screamed, almost dropping the phone in his hands. "Christ, hyung, why would you- what?"

"You've been happier lately, am I wrong?"

"You _are_ wrong. I'm always happy-"

"I don't give a shit about your angelic persona, I'm talking about the happiness inside your _heart,_ " Jiwon said pointedly, poking Donghyuk's chest and the younger yowled in pain.

"Hyung, the heart's not on that side, I-"

"I've known you for how many years now? I know when you're happier, I do, trust me. So you got the nice-looking guy's number or what?"

"I haven't got his number but I've got pretty much everything else," Donghyuk mumbled and he couldn't help but smile a little when Jiwon whooped and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, squeezing them.

"I'm so fucking _proud._ Best couple of 2019. I'm calling it. Second to me and Yun, though. But I repeat, _best couple of-_ "

Donghyuk pushed his phone into Jiwon's face to shut him up, just to take away from the fact that he was blushing so hard that it almost hurt.

They still slept in the same bed, Junhoe and him. Mostly because Junhoe was picky but at the same time nice, meaning he didn't want the couch but he also didn't want Donghyuk to have the couch. He didn't admit the last part, he only pulled Donghyuk down into the bed with him when he said he was going to the sofa, and Donghyuk had maybe never grinned harder in his life.

At first Junhoe seemed to want to keep a big enough distance which Donghyuk was fine with, as long as he was still comfortable. But night by night, the distance shortened, proportionate with how their strange relationship grew, until they ended up pressed against each other with arms loosely embracing in a way that Junhoe would never for the _life_ of him admit was intimate, but Donghyuk found out that sleepy Junhoe was an avid cuddler. And every time, Donghyuk would always have to stop himself from dropping soft kisses onto Junhoe's jaw, or pecking his lips whenever he'd wake up to Junhoe's nice-looking (read: unfathomably gorgeous) face next to his.

Donghyuk asked it, eventually. He didn't know how many days it had been but he knew that they had got to the point where they could share ice-cream tubs and yell at the tv together and _not_ want to kill each other with knives, and he leant over the kitchen counter one morning with hands clasped as Junhoe was spooning out the last of the yoghurt from his pot. "Junhoe."

"Hi," Junhoe replied, waving his spoon without even looking up and specks of yoghurt went flying everywhere that Donghyuk had to dodge.

"What's your...orientation? Sexually."

"Pan," Junhoe said with no hesitation as he shoved the spoon into his mouth and threw the pot at the bin with good aim, sure, but the bin lid was on. Junhoe pouted as he went over to pick up the bounced pot and in the meantime, Donghyuk was trying to figure out how to feel. Should he be shocked? He wasn't quite sure how straight or not Junhoe had seemed in the first place. Should he be happy? Hell _yes_ he should be happy, now he had some sort of shot even though he still didn't know if Junhoe was hiding a lover (or more than one, Junhoe had that kind of aura sometimes) under his sleeve somewhere.

"That's nice."

"Mhm, and you?" Junhoe asked as he popped up again, sounding so casual that it was irking. Donghyuk always wanted to either punch his face in or kiss him senseless or give him the squishiest hug, it was never usually anything in between.

"Gay."

"Yay."

"When'd you realise?" Donghyuk asked as Junhoe slotted in the space beside him like it was second nature and the latter shrugged.

"All my life, I've been seeing all different types of people from all over. I've fell for a few, hurt a few, _been_ hurt by a few. My mind's choices have been expanded, I guess, and I'll get attracted to just whatever I get attracted to and I'm cool with that."

"Well, don't you sound wise?" Donghyuk asked, grinning as his respect for the man-child increased tenfold and Junhoe smiled back, his eyes doing that glittery thing that always made Donghyuk feel on edge.

"Donghyuk."

"Yeah?"

"You look really nice when you smile."

Donghyuk blinked, the smile in question immediately faltering as Junhoe looked incredibly smug and okay, Donghyuk _was_ a smooth-talker, there was never any doubt about that, he could totally reply with something better! Beautiful people flattering him did not get to his head, not at _all._ "And- and you have...eyebrows."

Yes. Maybe Donghyuk had messed up.

But Junhoe only grinned brighter, his eyes twinkling as he said a small, sarcastic, " _Wow,_ " as he rested a hand on the counter, right next to Donghyuk's hip. Donghyuk wished that that stupid hand would actually go _on_ him but he decided to do something himself as he eased his arms around Junhoe's waist, and it was honestly as easy as stretching your arms out when you're yawning, except that usually didn't make a guy look at you in surprise. Or, maybe it did, it depends.

"We're close enough to do this, Mr Secrets. Don't look at me like that," Donghyuk said, his beam back in place and Junhoe shook his head in disbelief but he didn't move away for quite some time, and Donghyuk in his single, smitten glory definitely saw that as a win.

They went out to dinner one day, which came with Donghyuk excessively slapping Jiwon to get him to shut up about 'LET'S GO ON A DOUBLE DATE OH MY GODDD' but it wasn't a _date_ , it was more like Donghyuk got his pay check and it was just tradition for him to get dinner outside whenever that happened. Junhoe had crashed back into his house at the ripe time of eight pm in some pretty, smart casual clothes and Donghyuk had no idea where he was getting it all but it wasn't the all black dingy clothes or the messed up ones that he'd sometimes come back in so Donghyuk linked their arms and dragged Junhoe back out a few seconds after he had entered.

"Where are we going?" Junhoe asked in confusion, looking so tired and Donghyuk felt bad for a moment.

"I'm sorry, do you wanna rest? I thought we could go out for dinner tonight-"

"Oh no that, that sounds really great," Junhoe sighed in relief, leaning against Donghyuk for a moment and it took a while for Donghyuk to realise that that was supposed to seem like some form of affection. "If I sleep there a little, you won't mind, right?"

"Nah."

"Good. I would've done it even if you said yes but-" Junhoe dissolved into laughter when Donghyuk hit him on the nape of his neck, and then they didn't say any more as they walked down the street and Junhoe kept on looking around, seeming a bit paranoid and Donghyuk frowned, nudging the guy with his elbow.

"Anything wrong?"

"Just odd ends at work," Junhoe muttered, his eyes still dashing around. "I didn't get to finish a job."

"Oh...I'm sorry."

"Not your fault."

"I know, but if it means something bad then I really hope you get to do it soon."

"It's unlikely at this point but so do I."

Donghyuk pulled them into a restaurant he found nice, since Yunhyeong had brought him to probably hundreds by now, and the waitress came to them immediately. Donghyuk smiled charmingly, talking to her while Junhoe tried to focus too but his eyes wandered naturally. Then he was spotting something in the left hand corner of the restaurant and his eyes bugged as his hand flew over to Donghyuk's, clutching it tightly and the latter jolted in alarm. "Kim Donghyuk, I love you, I fucking _love_ you."

The waitress cooed at them while Donghyuk laughed a little nervously, leaning into Junhoe's space before whispering, "Isn't it a bit too early to be saying that? Sure, I'm flattered but-"

"Where's our table?"

"I can take you there now," the waitress offered and Junhoe nodded firmly, following after her immediately and Donghyuk felt confused as to why he was suddenly the tailer. He didn't notice Junhoe's eyes lighting up when they were led to a table on the left, and he didn't know why Junhoe went to the seat that was facing forwards so quickly. Donghyuk still wanted answers even after they had sat down.

"So why do you love me?" Donghyuk asked right before Junhoe put one of the complimentary breadsticks in his mouth and Junhoe paused, looking between Donghyuk and the breadstick a few times before he put the breadstick down.

"Behind you, two tables behind us, there's a man called Dreider Lee," Junhoe said, hiding his mouth with three of the breadsticks and Donghyuk was feeling increasingly alarmed by his serious tone. "He's absolute garbage of a man. Conducted an 'accident' where a full coach fell into a lake last month, I'm sure you heard of that."

Donghyuk's blood ran cold. "Yeah, I...I did."

"He's done more, and worse than that. Manslaughter, abuse, don't let me scare you with the details; breadstick?" Junhoe asked casually, holding out one of the three and Donghyuk just stared at him like he had seen a ghost. Junhoe frowned, slowly retracting his hand. "If you don't want a breadstick then just _say_ that..."

"Are you a cop?" Donghyuk asked, genuinely wanting an answer but Junhoe didn't seem to fancy replying as he simply shoved a breadstick down his throat then another, looking very content. "Junhoe!"

"Mm?" Junhoe asked with wide eyes, cheeks full and Donghyuk wished that he didn't have to be so cute.

"Are you a cop?"

Junhoe shook his head, swallowing but he didn't say anything else even when his mouth wasn't full anymore, and Donghyuk didn't know what else he could ask. Well, except for something blatant.

_'Then what **are** you?'_

But Donghyuk was kind of too scared to find out the answer.

Ordering food was a normal ordeal, thank God, and Donghyuk found Junhoe's eyes wandering behind him a few too many times but Donghyuk thought, _this isn't a date, he doesn't need to focus on me and I don't need to focus on him,_ so he just ate, letting the dinner go like his alone eat-out dinners usually did where he was left feeling content and happy-go-lucky. Also, Junhoe ate _well_. It was almost fascinating to watch, and the beam he sent Donghyuk halfway through when he offered to pour him more wine was enough to electrify Donghyuk's poor heart. Jesus, Junhoe was pretty no matter what and Donghyuk really wanted to fight him.

"Is it okay if...we spy for a moment?" Junhoe asked cautiously after Donghyuk had paid the bill, his puppy dog eyes landing on Donghyuk yet again and the latter winced at the impact they had on him as he nodded defeatedly and Junhoe bubbled with happiness. In no time they were by the bathrooms, giving Junhoe a supposedly better view while Donghyuk didn't even want to know how the sadistic man looked like. Apparently they were supposed to be putting on an act to seem normal but Junhoe was outright _staring_ so Donghyuk tried to help but the only thing he could think of was acting like a touchy boyfriend, stroking down Junhoe's arms or massaging his neck, and it was always a plus to hear Junhoe's breathing go shaky from it all. Though when Junhoe's breath hitched, that was a different story.

"Fuck, he's coming, he's coming, he's _coming!"_ Junhoe whisper-screeched, slapping Donghyuk's chest. "What do we do, oh my _God_ , he's gonna notice, and I'm gonna-"

"Quick-thinker Donghyuk to the rescue, don't kill me," Donghyuk breathed out before he took hold of Junhoe's face and pulled him into a kiss. Junhoe squeaked, eyes blowing wide but Donghyuk quickly tapped his cheek to say 'act normal, idiot' and slowly but surely, Junhoe seemed to deflate, his eyes slipping shut as he rested his hands on the wall and kissed Donghyuk deeper, sighing gently when Donghyuk wrapped his hands around Junhoe's neck and pushed up, closer.

"Shit," Junhoe murmured dreamily (somehow) as Donghyuk sucked on his lower lip gently, swallowing Junhoe's soft curses as he bruised the pretty lips that he had been wanting to kiss for so long, and Junhoe wasn't complaining. But not even seconds later and Donghyuk heard a door being swung making him break the kiss, Junhoe falling into him as he tried to follow Donghyuk's lips without even thinking.

"I think he went into the bathroom, do you need to do something with him? This might be your best chance."

"I..." Junhoe gulped, stars in his dazed eyes and Donghyuk seized up when he felt a hand dig into his hip and Junhoe took a step closer, his knee fitting between Donghyuk's legs and fuck, what was happening, what was _happening-_ "Christ, you've made me want to do something else."

"What's that?" Donghyuk challenged, regaining back his brazenness and Junhoe still looked so amazed as he leant down and Donghyuk's eyes closed on their own accord as he waited - but a door swung again and someone was walking past, and the kiss never came.

"He's leaving now," Junhoe said, pulling away from Donghyuk who opened his eyes, trying his best not to feel disappointed because this surely meant something bigger than him sucking face with Junhoe. "That was fast. Donghyuk, can you go back to your apartment without me? I promise to come soon. Four hours! I'll give you four hours."

"You promise?"

"Promise."

"Okay then," Donghyuk replied, nodding but Junhoe still had a grip on his waist and Donghyuk gave him a look of confusion. Junhoe wasn't looking at him for the time-being, only at Dreider but he looked back soon enough with something morose swimming in his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

Donghyuk frowned, instantly feeling the need to disagree. "For what?"

"This could have been nicer than it ended up being, this could've been...you know. Something," Junhoe said, trailing off into mumbles but Donghyuk simply tugged him down to kiss him again, gently this time, and he almost died when Junhoe let out a soft longing whine in return.

"It _was_ something," Donghyuk said after he pulled away, his lips fizzling with energy and sweetness as he smiled and Junhoe looked spellbound all over again, "in a way."

Then he walked out of the restaurant without looking back, without wondering if the restaurant or Junhoe or the whole _city_ was in danger, because he felt full and tired and lovesick so he just wanted to go home and sleep with a cat soft toy this time which was exactly what he did.

And hours later, he distantly felt someone climb in next to him and slide an arm around his torso, whispering in his ear, "I'm sorry. It's been six hours, not four. I'm really really sorry."

Donghyuk wasn't in the right state of mind to reply as he rolled over and buried closer to the warm body, and Junhoe seemed to take that as a sign of forgiveness as he draped the blanket tighter over them both and rested his head on top of Donghyuk's, wincing as he tried to ignore the wound in his side.

"Goodnight."

 

 

 

 

 

"HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYY!" was what Donghyuk first heard when he walked into the studio, then a hit, then an 'ow!' then a, "We were supposed to say it together, moron!"

"Hey guys," Donghyuk said happily as the lights turned on and his colleagues were there, fellow choreographers and trainees, a few camera and make-up staff, a few of his acquaintances from the producers and actors and of course, Jiwon was in the middle and holding the cake while Yunhyeong beside him had an arm around his waist, grinning brightly.

"WOOOOOOO!" Seunghoon yelled into the silence, setting off something that made confetti fill the air and Donghyuk shook his head in amusement, walking into the battleground bravely as everyone swarmed around him and he felt attacked by love, which was always a nice feeling. Jiwon smushed some cake onto Donghyuk's face while Yunhyeong fed Donghyuk some and it was all fun and games until Jinhwan popped up out of nowhere, slowly taking a strawberry from the cake before disappearing again and Donghyuk felt very scared.

"Any plans for tonight? The offer to go out is still open like always," Yunhyeong said later on when everyone else had filed out and Jiwon was lying on the floor while Yunhyeong stroked his hair, picking out confetti from it. Donghyuk shrugged from next to them as he picked off a chocolate swirl from the cake that still had a lot of it intact, miraculously.

"Maybe. I don't really know but today seems like an in-day. Maybe I'll change my mind, though."

"You still looking after your pretty man-child or is he gone now?" Jiwon asked and Donghyuk smiled at the thought.

"He's still there."

"I _gotta_ meet this dude. He'll like me, right? Can we double date soon, pleeeease?" Jiwon asked Yunhyeong, looking up at him with a pout and his hands clasped together and the elder grinned as he ran his hands through Jiwon's hair again.

"Sure, baby, but don't you need to ask Donghyuk too?"

"Me and Junhoe aren't _together_ , first off, and Junhoe won't say yes. I'm pretty sure that he's not good with new people."

"We're not just new people! We're the _best_ new people!" Jiwon argued with all the nonsensical logic in the world, sitting up and pulling Yunhyeong towards him, gesturing towards them. "Do you see us? We're legends! Demigods! Sons of Aphrodite and Poseidon, do you _see this-_ "

"Hyung, stop trying, you're getting more and more deluded. You guys are great but, baby steps."

Jiwon deflated, grumbling a petty, "I didn't want to see his stupid face _anyway,_ " and Yunhyeong moved the guy's head to the side so he could kiss him and Jiwon instantly melted, making Donghyuk wince as he looked away and tried not to smile.

"I hate how much I love you," Jiwon murmured, dropping his head onto Yunhyeong's shoulder and the latter laughed.

"That's your own problem, not mine."

"Stop being so perfect then..."

"Never."

"I hate you."

"You love me."

"I hate that I lo- didn't we already go through this?"

Yunhyeong kissed Jiwon's forehead and Jiwon let out a sigh that made Yunhyeong shake his head, looking back at Donghyuk with a raised eyebrow and an exasperated grin. "Men are weak."

"Yeah," Donghyuk agreed, poking Jiwon's shoe. "We really are."

Junhoe hadn't come home the night before, but sometimes that happened. Donghyuk had learned to get used to that too, and try to only _mildly_ worry his head off whenever he went to sleep alone and still woke alone. It was one of the best feelings, to wake up to a sleepy clingy Junhoe with a squishy face and soft messy hair, and now Donghyuk _could_ wake him up with kisses and Junhoe would only turn a little pink and squirm about, pushing closer to Donghyuk as if that would get him to stop. Donghyuk didn't really want that kind of luxury taken away from him now that he had it.

He was walking home at six, bag slung over his shoulder and a hand in his pocket, and he wasn't thinking about much. Just menial things, like whether they'd have a quokka soft toy anywhere. Was the sky predicted to fall in anytime soon? Perhaps the next presidential election would end in pandemonium. Stupid thoughts, and when he entered his apartment that was still empty with no sign of any life having been there while he'd been gone, Donghyuk tried his best to fill up his mind with even more nonsensical things. What book should he read? Should he call someone up for more song recommendations? Could he stop yelling his thoughts into thin air?!

He curled up on his bed, looking through his phone lazily and it just consumed him in the way the internet did, and he wanted to do sappy things like send snapchats to Junhoe or text him mushy stuff while hanging his head off the bed but Junhoe's social media and his number (still) were a mystery. Perhaps it was for the best though, Junhoe probably wouldn't appreciate his pretentious affection. Donghyuk smiled at the thought of Junhoe using his knife to slice through torrents of hearts that Donghyuk would throw at him, but Donghyuk knew some would still get to him. He knew that in the way that Junhoe would sometimes reach out for his hand, that Junhoe would just sway with him with his glittering eyes sometimes when they listened to the ballads that he liked, or when Donghyuk would press him up against the wall even just to kiss his cheek and Junhoe would look all kinds of dazed.

There was a loud bang on the door at something akin to seven pm and Donghyuk snapped alert, sitting up and when the door was banged again but weaker, he jumped off the bed and rushed over to the door, fumbling with the lock before he got the door open and someone was falling onto him immediately, breathing heavily. Donghyuk's eyes widened then only getting bigger when he felt something wet seep through him and when he looked down- shit, Junhoe was _covered_ in red. Blood. "J-Junhoe, oh my God, what-"

"Get me to...lie, p-please," Junhoe breathed out and Donghyuk quickly nodded as he pulled Junhoe towards the couch and carefully dropped Junhoe onto it. Junhoe muttered some butchered form of gratitude, his eyes lidded and breaths slow now as he tried his best to put his legs on the couch but he kept on wincing in pain, so Donghyuk helped him, in his work headspace again as he ripped open Junhoe's bloody shirt and saw thankfully that it wasn't that he was wounded _everywhere_ , but there seemed to be a gaping one in his side as well as still fresh cuts all over his chest.

"Baby," Donghyuk said in soft horror, kissing Junhoe's limp hand which he clutched tightly in his and the latter's glassy eyes opened a little more at the pet name.

"Baby...?"

"What happened? What happened to you? Why aren't you at the hospital?"

Junhoe's eyes filled with tears as he shook his head. "N-No hospital, no-"

"Wait here," Donghyuk murmured, brushing Junhoe's hair back from his forehead before he let go of him and rushed over to the kitchen, washing his hands then grabbing alcohol and water and wipes and antiseptic cream and that first-aid kit that all the apartments got, just _anything_ that he could think would help, before he came back and almost slapped Junhoe when he saw the younger's eyes closed. "Nono, please don't be dead, holy-"

"I'm no' dead," Junhoe rasped with a faint smile before he was coughing and Donghyuk tried to soothe him, rubbing his throat lightly with his hand that he hoped was as warm as it seemed, then he gently dabbed at the cuts with his cloth until they stopped bleeding and worked on the wound too, wiping it down and taking hold of Junhoe's hand when he noticed how much the guy was flinching.

"It's okay, it's okay..."

Donghyuk looked around, racking his brain at what to do next before he poured water over the wound, remembering distantly that that would clean it, reduce the risk of infection and Junhoe yelped, clutching onto Donghyuk's hand so tightly as the latter reached out for the antiseptic, lathering it over Junhoe's chest. "Shit, I don't...I don't know how to do this-"

"Y-You're doing great, don't put antiseptic on the wound though," Junhoe answered, looking down at himself and Donghyuk couldn't even imagine how hard it must be to see yourself being so _damaged_ like that. "Y-You should rinse the wound in water for like five minutes but I-I don't think I can move-"

"I've got a whole jug full, it'll be okay for now and I'll get more later," Donghyuk said, trying to sound calm even though he really wasn't, and then he started pouring the water, letting Junhoe hold him as tight as he wanted. Junhoe kept on humming nervously, some tunes that Donghyuk could recognise, some he couldn't. And when it got to the point that Donghyuk was patting him dry, he finally managed to say, "Junhoe, do you know how terrifying this is?"

Junhoe swallowed, looking away. "I know."

"Are you telling me that every time you're gone, you could literally _die?_ Why? What kind of job does that to you?"

"A stupid one," Junhoe mumbled which wasn't the answer Donghyuk wanted but he didn't want to push a hurt man, so he just tried his best to bandage Junhoe up, asking the younger to raise his torso and it didn't look all that pretty but it seemed to do the job, and Donghyuk was really glad that he wasn't going to be a doctor anytime soon.

Junhoe breathed out a thank you and Donghyuk nodded, his heart still shattering as he kept holding Junhoe's hand and carded his hand through his hair which felt matted, and Donghyuk wanted to offer to set him up a bath until Junhoe ever so slowly sat up, using Donghyuk for leverage as he collapsed against the back of the sofa once he was done and exhaled heavily, tugging on Donghyuk's hand so weakly that he barely even felt it. "Come...sit with me..."

Donghyuk obeyed in no time, and he didn't mind one bit when Junhoe accidentally fell into his lap, no he _endorsed_ it as he wrapped his arms around Junhoe's waist and pulled him closer but not too close. Junhoe sighed, softer this time as he slung an arm around Donghyuk's neck, closing his eyes again as Donghyuk squished his face, kissing it all over and Junhoe just took it with no argument, resting his head against Donghyuk's and lazily raising a hand to brush against the elder's face. That made Donghyuk stop and look at him, and really see the exhausted love in Junhoe's expression.

"I missed you," Junhoe murmured shyly, shuffling a bit closer and Donghyuk smiled gently as he pecked Junhoe's lips which were slightly chapped and weak but still so nice.

"Really?"

"I was just laying there, ready to die, but beforehand they had said they'd _get_ you and they'd _do_ something to you and then I heard you. I mean, I hallucinated it but I heard your stupid amazing voice so I dragged myself here because I just, I had to make sure you were okay because now, I kind of have something to live for, don't I? And it's you."

"Come on, you have more to live for than me," Donghyuk tried to argue, smoothing his hands down Junhoe's long legs and Junhoe just shrugged as he wrapped both his arms around Donghyuk's neck, pressing a little bit closer.

"I mean, maybe. Probably. But, you know what, not really."

"God, maybe I love you," Donghyuk breathed out as he threaded a hand through Junhoe's hair and pulled him closer, pressing their lips together and it was delicate but hungry, with Junhoe holding on for his life as Donghyuk pushed him back down onto the couch, nipping at his lips gently before soothing his tongue over them and Junhoe's tongue darted out to meet his, sucking on it gently and Donghyuk groaned, trying so hard not to collapse onto Junhoe and hurt him more. "Do you...do you know what day it is today?"

Junhoe broke away to shake his head and fuck, his glistening lips and gorgeously blissed out face was doing something to Donghyuk's insides. "What is it?"

"My birthday," Donghyuk hummed, resting a hand on Junhoe's hip as he dipped down to kiss Junhoe again to swallow the surprised noise he made. "And you coming here but almost dead? Not the best present."

"I'm sorry," Junhoe whispered, leaning up to nuzzle into Donghyuk's neck, pressing soft fluttering kisses into the skin and it was like each one held a million birthday wishes, and Donghyuk's heart was swelling far too big. "I can make it up to you, I can-"

"What, you gonna give me birthday sex?" Donghyuk teased, grinning angelically down at Junhoe who pulled away and quickly shook his head, astounded like he had stars running around his head like in cartoons and there was no funner thing than messing with the guy.

"No! I mean, I could- no! No, I'll just, ask you something."

"What's that?"

"The people when they were talking about you, they called you my boyfriend. I don't know where they saw us, maybe that one time at the restaurant? And I know that wasn't the point but my heart did a funny thing when I heard that. So do you want to?"

"Want to what?" Donghyuk asked, pressing further and Junhoe grimaced, his face harbouring a splash of angry red.

"Don't make me say it."

"Come on, I won't know if you don't. For the birthday boy?"

Junhoe deflated at the words 'birthday boy' and he flicked his gaze up so it could meet Donghyuk's, and his eyes told whirlwinds of emotion: vulnerability, shyness, adoration, fear. So Donghyuk didn't make him say it. He simply reached out for Junhoe's hand and intertwined their fingers, murmuring a small, "Yes," before connecting their lips again, feeling Junhoe's elated smile against him and it ignited Donghyuk's heart, and made it feel full. The drunk prince, the nice-looking guy, the mammoth man-child, the psychotic knife-thrower, the most beautiful human being was his.

"I promise you that by the time we're married, you'll know _everything_ about the art of knives. You'll be able to tell the difference t-"

"Shut up."

 

**Author's Note:**

> shot for the birthday boy!!
> 
> i am s O HAPPY I FINISHED THIS 
> 
> i hope you liked this i am quiTE proud of it even though i don't really know what it is. i can't believe i've written a jundong now hjdfbncvkbhj IM SO HAPPY 
> 
> okay have a nice day everyone! wrap up warm and eat macaroons :*


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